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Four members of the Ignatius House Ignatian Spirituality Project community begin a journey of formation, companionship, and service, while a growing local ministry brings spiritual reflection to women in recovery.

Sometimes, hope begins with something as simple as being welcomed, listened to, and reminded that we are not alone. And sometimes, the hope we receive becomes the very gift we are called to share with others.

That spirit of companionship is at the heart of the Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP), a ministry that offers spiritual retreats and ongoing reflection to people recovering from homelessness and addiction. This fall, four members of the ISP community at Ignatius House began a new chapter in that journey.

For the first time, two teams from Atlanta have been selected to participate in the national Ignatian Spirituality Project's Ambassadors of Hope program. The fourth and largest cohort to date brings together participants and volunteers from ISP communities across the country for an 18-month journey of formation, reflection, and leadership.

Representing Ignatius House are Henry Brown and Alan Varagona from the men's team, and Amanda Perrymond and Monica Gwinn from the women's team. Each pair brings together a witness—someone who has personally experienced an ISP retreat—and a volunteer team member. This partnership reflects one of the ministry's deepest convictions: that those who have experienced healing and renewal have gifts and wisdom to offer others.

The four attended their first of four formation retreats September 27–29 outside Chicago, where they met ISP leaders and fellow ambassadors from communities across the country. Between retreats, the pairs continue their formation through weekly local meetings and monthly virtual gatherings with the full cohort.

A Ministry That Changes Everyone

For Alan Varagona, the Chicago gathering was an opportunity to reconnect with the wider ISP community and discover how the ministry continues to grow.

Alan, who joined ISP at Ignatius House in 2008, attended the very first leadership training as the program was getting underway locally. Later that year, he helped lead the first men's ISP retreat at Ignatius House, welcoming eight participants.

What has stayed with him all these years is the transformation he witnessed during that first retreat. In just over a day, from 8 a.m. one morning to 4 p.m. the next, he saw what could happen when people were welcomed without judgment and met exactly where they were.

Nearly two decades later, that experience continues to shape his commitment to the ministry.

Alan approached the Ambassadors of Hope gathering without particular expectations but came away deeply inspired by the people he met and the work taking place in ISP communities nationwide. For him, the ministry has never been simply about helping others. It has also been a source of personal growth and transformation.

Amanda's Journey

For Amanda Perrymond, being selected as an Ambassador of Hope represents another remarkable chapter in a journey that began when she first came to Ignatius House as a retreat participant while living at Mary Hall Freedom Village.

Amanda arrived uncertain about what to expect. She was navigating the challenges of early recovery and, as a Baptist attending a retreat at a Catholic center, wondered whether she would truly feel at home.

What she discovered was a place of welcome, peace, and acceptance.

"It's a Catholic place, but all faiths are accepted here. There's no pressure, just the message that God loves you," Amanda shared in an earlier reflection about her experience.

The care she received, from the hospitality of the staff to the quiet beauty of the grounds, helped her feel valued and supported. She returned for another retreat, deepened her spiritual journey, and eventually felt called to share her experience with other women.

Today, Amanda serves as a witness on the women's ISP retreat team, offering encouragement to participants who may be arriving with the same uncertainty she once carried.

In an earlier reflection, Amanda described returning to Ignatius House as a volunteer and feeling as though she were coming home. Looking at the women beginning their retreat, she recognized something of her own earlier journey. By the time they departed, she could see the beginnings of renewed hope.

Her selection for Ambassadors of Hope, alongside fellow team member Monica Gwinn, is a beautiful reminder that the gifts of this ministry continue to unfold long after a retreat ends.

Bringing Hope Beyond the Retreat Center

For Lisa Perry, who coordinates ISP at Ignatius House, having both a men's and women's team represented in the national program is especially exciting.

She is particularly encouraged by ISP's commitment to elevating the voices of witnesses, ensuring that those who have experienced the ministry firsthand are included in shaping its future at every level.

Lisa also recognizes the extraordinary gift of the partnership between ISP and Ignatius House. While many ISP communities must continually seek both facilities and funding to offer retreats, Ignatius House provides a welcoming setting and raises funds to support this ministry.

That foundation of generosity is now helping open new doors.

This October, the local ISP team began offering Reflecting Our Light, an ongoing spiritual reflection program, at Mary Hall Freedom Village, extending the ministry's reach beyond overnight retreats.

The first gathering welcomed 28 women, whose enthusiastic participation and encouraging feedback affirmed the need for opportunities to reflect, share, and grow together.

Unlike an overnight retreat, Reflecting Our Light is designed as a shorter, accessible experience that meets people where they are. Through regular small faith-sharing gatherings in partner shelters and transitional housing communities, participants are invited into a safe and welcoming space to nourish their spirituality, support one another, and deepen their awareness of God of their understanding.

The one-hour reflection format, which emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, has become another important way for ISP to accompany individuals who may not yet be ready or able to attend an overnight retreat.

At Mary Hall Freedom Village, the gatherings are planned for the first and third Wednesdays of each month, creating an ongoing opportunity for connection and spiritual nourishment.

Hope That Continues to Grow

From the first ISP retreat at Ignatius House in 2008 to the selection of four local Ambassadors of Hope and the expansion of reflection programs into the community, this ministry continues to grow through relationships built on trust, compassion, and shared experience.

At its heart is a simple but powerful invitation: to see the dignity of every person, to listen without judgment, and to trust that hope can take root even in life's most difficult seasons.

For Amanda, Henry, Alan, Monica, and the many volunteers and retreatants who make this ministry possible, hope is not simply something to receive. It is something to carry forward and share.

And through the generosity of those who support ISP at Ignatius House, that circle of hope continues to widen.